Jessica Jahiel's HORSE-SENSE Newsletter Archives

Weird saddle color

From: Stephanie

Dear Jessica, I bought a used saddle online and I am very happy with it. It is very comfortable for myself and my horse. The only thing that puzzles me is that I can't tell what the color is supposed to be! The seller didn't know how to describe it either, LOL! It is a sort of dark brown with light brown and tan, all mixed up together, but it doesn't seem to be damaged or stained. I think the leather is supposed to look like this. It reminds me of streaky paint or a very dark tortoiseshell. The leather is very thick and smooth. The name on the saddle was worn off (you know how they put the names in gold print on those leather pieces under the flaps?) but you can still see what looks like "Ba" and just under it, "Ti", and there is an oval plate by the stirrup bar that says "Courbette Saddlery Inc.". I know that you know a lot about Courbette saddles and recommend them a lot. Can you help me figure out this leather color question? I know it's silly since I love the saddle and will never sell it, but I just want to know, it's such an interesting effect. I think it looks like marble. My husband makes jokes about my "camouflage" saddle. If this is too trivial for HORSE-SENSE, could you suggest some other way I could get this information? Also, could you tell me why you like Courbette saddles so much?

Thank you so very much for listening! Stephanie

Hi Stephanie! You're right, I do recommend Courbette saddles. I bought my first one in the mid-1970s, and have been buying them ever since. I continue to be impressed by their design, workmanship, and overall quality and durability - and, most of all, by the way they fit horses - and riders. ;-)

I think that your saddle is probably the Baron von Trenck - the "Ti" under the "Ba" is probably a "T" and a very worn "r". The gilt lettering on the billet guards does wear away over time.

The color IS weird, I agree, but I like it! I have one of these saddles, too. When it comes to describing it, I like "marble" better than "camouflage", but I can understand why your husband would say that. It DOES have a mottled, marbled, tortoiseshell look to it, and no, it's not the result of any staining or damage to the leather. I believe that this model was made from buffalo hide, but that's all I can tell you about the leather. I suggest you talk to the people who made the saddle - I'm sure they'll have the information you want.

You can contact Courbette Saddlery directly via e-mail - courbette@prodigy.net

The company also has a website: http://www.courbette.com/

I've become very fond of my comfortable old marbled, camouflage, tortoiseshell saddle. Perhaps we need a new saying, or a variation on an old saying: "A good saddle is never a bad colour."

Jessica

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